Distance Learning

Enhance Your Curriculum with Distance Learning:

Virtual Field Trips, Polycom Special Events and Student Collaborative Projects

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Collaborative Projects

Involve your students with students in other classes, other schools, other countries! Collaborative projects may or may not involve video conferencing - it may simply be an exchange of information, may use Skype, may last only one day or span a period of time.

Find Collaborative Projects

• TWICE: Two Way Interactive Connections in Education
  • Collaborations Around the Planet or CAPspace at TWICE - you must register for an account in order to
    browse/search the events. Here is a brief video about the TWICE website and how to use it to find collaborative projects.
    • Author, Specialist, Knowledge (ASK) Program connects students and authors in a structured learning opportunity - registration required through Collaborations Around the Planet (CAPspace)
      • Read more about the ASK project and view example videos.
    • Read Around the Planet spans February 23 - March 11 and matches classes with each other based on information submitted by the teacher

• Center for Engineering and Science Education at Stevens Institute of Technology
• ClassChats
• Flat Classroom Project targets middle and high school students in global projects
• Global Education Collaborative
• iEarn
• Kidlink
• Projects by Jen - well-structured projects and resources for elementary students that can serve as a template for secondary projects
• Flat Classroom Digiteen Project
• Flat Classroom Ning - find other classrooms to collaborate

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Virtual Field Trips

Generally involve two-way conferencing at an appointed time, with some pre- and post-activity structured by the teacher. This is a great way to connect with experts and visit remote locations

Virtual Field Trips and Polycom Special Events

• A Hotlist of Virtual Field Trips
• List of Favorite Field Trips by Grade Level and Content Area - from Berrien ISD (Michigan)
• NASA Distance Learning Network (DLN) - The DLN offers over 40 interactive events that feature NASA-related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content for K-12 students.
• Polycom Special Events - available at no or little cost to Polycom users
• Shout Learning is run by the Smithsonian and connects students globally - many museums now have outreach programs!

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Learn More

• Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
• Learning Beyond Walls: 28 Resources for Your Students to Connect Globally is a resource-rich article on Shelly Terrell's blog
• Out on a Lim - Janine Lim's blog about videoconferencing and distance learning
• STARNET Distance Learning Initiative at Ingham ISD - learn more about different types of distance learning

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Planning questions

1. I would like to connect my students... (How? With whom? In order to do what?)
2. What are the learning outcomes of participating? (Why participate? How will this experience strengthen learning?)
3. Nuts and Bolts: In order to make this happen I will/must....

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How can I connect?

Consider Skype,or Adobe ConnectNow, or check with your district for distance learning equipment such as a Polycom unit (available in all Ingham County districts)

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Image Credit:
BlueMarble, NASA, http://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/ve/174/BlueMarble.jpg